Documentation is Key to EB-5 Processing. By Gregory Finkelson

Documentation is Key to EB-5 Processing. By Gregory Finkelson

Documentation, documentation, documentation. As the International Organization for Standardization says, “If it is not documented, it didn’t happen.”

A recent issue of the National Law Review spoke to the issue of Regional Centers ensuring that all documentation is both accurate and complete prior to submission for EB-5 investors. This, in fact, is really a fundamental reason for the existence of Regional Centers – to ensure that all documentation is complete, something that is difficult for investors to do on their own.

A friend of mine immigrated to Canada in the late 1970s. He was so meticulous about the documentation (making many, many phone calls to the Canadian consulate to ensure that all his papers were in order) that when he and his family arrived at Customs and Immigration, the official who was reviewing his documents called his coworkers over to see the packet. The official said, “You guys aren’t going to believe this! Someone finally did everything right!”

Regional Centers worth their salt need to ensure that they do everything right, the first time and every time. If they are not, they have lost their real purpose for existence and have become nothing more than money changers.

What is more, the very reputation of the EB-5 program depends on how well Regional Centers do their jobs, especially their documentation.